First consider the expression for: Take the product of $-7$ and $x$ and add $-2$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $1$ and the product of $3$ and that expression.
Solution: Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $-7$ and $x$ $-7 \times x = \color{orange}{-7x}$ What does adding $-2$ to $-7x$ do? $-7x$ $ - 2$ What is the quantity of $3$ times that expression $3 \times (-7x - 2) = \color{orange}{3(-7x-2)}$ What is the sum of $1$ and $\color{orange}{3(-7x-2)}$ $3(-7x-2)$ $ + 1$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $3(-7x-2)+1$.